𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 || baxter radic (discontinued)

6.

𝒃𝒂𝒙𝒕𝒆𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

I notice a change in the way Cove looks the next time I see her. She's showing more skin than normal. She's actually matching with Summer and I can tell that she hates it. The way her nose is slightly crinkled up the entire time she's around. The disgust in the way she stands. She wants to shield herself from the world. Poor girl was trapped being Summer's puppet. Just like I was Wren and Elo's puppet. Hey, at least we had some way to relate to each other now.

"Nice outfit." I nudge my elbow against hers. If looks could kill, I might not be completely dead man but I'd have claw marks covering my body.

"I'm quite the carbon copy, aren't I?" She motions between herself and Summer, who is thankfully off taking to her boyfriend and nowhere near this conversation. "Who pulls it off better?" 

"I'll keep that to myself." I wink at her. I'd be lying if I said it was Summer. There was no doubt that the plan was to win Summer over, make her realize that it should have been me she picked. But Cove, she threw a big spanner in the works.

There were two ways I could do about this. I could either use Cove to try and make Summer jealous—possibly get the best of both worlds. Or I could change the course of action and just shoot my full shot with Cove. That would have to be a decision for another time because right now, all I wanted was to give this hottie with a body my attention.

"Do you think this mysterious bad boy vibe works for you?" She undoes the wrapper to a lollipop and pops it into her mouth. I can't help but focus my eyes to her lips. I don't realize how long I've been staring at her mouth until I realize I haven't even answered her question—too distracted. "Hello? Earth to Baxter."

"Sorry, you know you need to watch the way you suck that thing." I raise my brows at her. Way to go brain, just call out the obvious will you. I'm mentally shaking my head at myself. My dick was thinking for that comment, not my brain.

"I'm sorry, am I distracting you?" She deliberately pops the lollipop back in her mouth after she makes sure to run her tongue along it. Someone kill me.

"Never." I hold my head held high. I wasn't about to let this girl know she was sending me spiraling. Never in a million years would I let her catch me.

"Then would you please answer my question?" She smiles at me, cocking her hip to the side, holding her lollipop out from her mouth.

"I don't know what about me makes you think I'm a bad boy. I'm just carefree Cove." I smirk at her. "I also don't know who is feeding you this idea that I'm a bad boy. I'm just a little troubled." 

"Friends talk to you know." She plops her lollipop back into her mouth and taps the tip of my nose with her finger. She's gone from hating me to doing every possible thing she can to make me melt over her. All it took was one shopping trip with her best friend. I feel like something very fishy is going on right under my nose. 

"So I'm just casually the topic of conversation then? Are you crushing on me Cove?" If she wants to play, I guess I'll just have to play too. 

She scoffs out a laugh at my assumption. "Cove Carver doesn't fall for charm and good looks that easily. I've just... you know, gotten the run down on all things Baxter Radic. The girls are looking out for me. I've heard you get around." 

"So you're being told to stay clear of me, yet here you are." I boast, because my charm is undeniable. Even if they don't think they're falling... they are. The smile is a lady killer. It brings them all in just like that. 

"I like to find things out on my own. I think I've proven I'm quite the defiant one. Well, besides when my best friend convinces me that dressing like her will make me look better. I lost that battle." She motions to her outfit and studies the way my eyes flick around her body. I can't help but stare, she wants me to. You always give a girl what she wants. 

"I'd prefer less clothes, but who am I to say?" I raise my brows. The comment earns a bold shove. I stumble back, but barely. Instead of moving far, my hands grasp her wrist and tug her forward with me. She'll save herself before every letting her body collide with mine. 

"Not funny." She rolls her eyes, dusting off her clothes like I've somehow ruined her appearance in a little grab. I haven't, she looks exactly the same, just a tad bit flustered by my words. That was the point

"Wasn't trying to be." Bluntness, that wins girls over right?

"You already used the less clothes option with Summer. If you think it'll work on me, you're sadly mistaken Bud." She taps my chest and walks off.

That went... well? I don't know if well is the right word to describe it. But it definitely could have gone a lot worse. But one thing I did catch on to is how much she pays attention to my past with Summer. I guess I didn't need to convince her to particularly like me. I just needed to make her forget that Summer and I existed, then the rest would fall into place quite easily.

Girls are quite gullible. At least the American ones. They fall too easily for the accent and its apparent charm. Making them fall was easy, making sure they stayed that was difficult. So many outside forces. This one, she had the past. One that involved her best friend and me. I'd find a way to get her over that, I just needed to figure out how.